GROWING UP MISUNDERSTOOD

Despite increased awareness and support, many children with developmental disabilities in India are growing up in environments not built for them

- KARTHIKEYA S

FEELING slower than peers, struggling to focus, missing social cues, or being labelled lazy and stubborn by the adults around them is a common experience for many Indian children with “invisible” developmental disabilities.

These include conditions such as autism, ADHD, and learning disorders. Children with more visible disabilities, like Down syndrome or cerebral palsy, often face a different but equally isolating reality of exclusion, staring, and infantilisation. However, there seems to be a gradual shift in understanding developmental disabilities in India.

A shifting legal and scientific landscape

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, expanded the list of disabilities from 7 to 21 to include Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and learning-specific disabilities. The Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, also mandates free and compulsory education for children with developmental disabilities aged 6-14.